Visiting BE Resorts

Plane ride to Cebu

While Eyebrows was in Canada, I thought to go to Cebu for a few days to spend some mother-and-daughter-time. Plus, I needed all the help I could get with finalizing our Despedida de Soltera party at Resorts. There's really nothing that can compare to the kind of help and support you get from Mom. She was so helpful, Im so grateful to have her with me through this.

Discussing details with Janine and Cookie of BE Resorts

First order of the trip was to visit BE Resorts and come to an agreement. What food, entertainment, giveaways, room discounts, transportation, corkage, etc etc etc... that kinda stuff. We're planning to hold a Despedida de Soltera party there the day before the wedding, plus we're expecting several of our guests to lodge at their resort as well. Quite honestly, I've been having difficulty coordinting with them - e-mailing and talking to Janine was a challenge the past few weeks and frankly, I was starting to get really frustrated. So as not to make this a venting blog, let me just put it simply - I felt like we were not being accommodated fairly. almost 6 months down the road we were no where near a decent arrangement. It was so hard to get a good deal. But speaking face to face proved to have its advantages. Plus, having Mom around really helped me drill down to what I wanted.

Anyway, despite the challenges with some of Resorts' staff, we were set on the venue for two main reasons: it was conveniently close to Shangri-La Mactan and it was beautiful. They had a classy play area complete with a billiard table, foosball machine, wii console, and a secured kids play area.

The Play Area

They also had a clean and well maintained swimming pool for their guests. Plus a huge beachfront area! All in all, guests were sure to have a good and relaxing time :)

BE Resort Facilities

The Resort had several areas we could have our party on but we decided on the beachfront are directly overlooking the sea. The party would be something native, casual and fun! We would have drum beaters and fire dancers and lively bohemian music! Food and drinks would be free-flowing!!! Eeeeeeek!!! So excited!!!

The beachfront where we'll be having our party

All in all, Im really grateful she was there. Couldnt have done it without her!!!

Final shot before we headed to our hotel

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Be Resorts Mactan
Punta Engaño Road, Lapu-Lapu City 6015, Cebu, Philippines
Landline: (+63) (32) 236 8888
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Choosing a Catholic Church

After confirming with the priest for the nth time, we've finally gotten the go signal to get married in a Catholic church. We figured we'd have a very intimate ceremony with just immediate family in a quaint chapel a few days before our Mactan wedding. Now this leaves us with a new task - look for a simple, small and cozy chapel to hold our Catholic ceremony.

We checked out St. John Bosco Parish. The church itself would have been perfect but a little too big for less than 10 people. hehe. The chapel is not bad, but then the lack of natural light makes it feel like an underground haven -- maybe this isn't our venue... keep searching.

St. John Bosco Parish

The St. John Bosco Parish Church, wedding crashing! Hey, is that Terence???

Another chapel we came across was the one in Greenbelt. It would have been perfect. Cozy, easy to get to, close to restaurants - very convenient. I called to get the details, and unfortunately, they dont allow weddings there.

The Greenbelt Chapel

Havent had the chance to look around some more, but Im thinking Christ the King? I remember Ethan having his baptism in one of the chapel areas. Its really quaint and simple. Quite pretty.

The Christ the King Chapel during Ethan's Baptism

The Christ the King Chapel Podium with the crazy clan

Now all we need to do is visit and get the requirements. Hmmmm... mental note, make time for that soon. Time is moving fast!

Destination Weddings Rock!!! G + G

December 12-14, 2010
Ceremony: Shangri-La Boracay GardenReception: Shangri-La Boracay Ballroom
Hightlight of the Wedding: Partying in Boracay!!!

By far one of the best weddings I've been to so far! Instead of being just a one day affair, the weekend was full of "merry-making"! Friday night was the birthday of the bride, Saturday night the Despedida de Soltera, and Sunday the wedding proper. This wedding was all about close family and friends celebrating and enjoying a momentous occassion. This is what a wedding should be. :)

The wedding ceremony was held at the garden by the beach. The decorations were simple which I think was suited for such a beautiful place! The ceremony was followed by sunset cocktails by the beach. Ladies, take off your shoes!!!

Reception followed at the ballroom where the bride, groom and entourage came with with a surprise dance number! That set the tone for the whole wedding! Time to enjoy!!!

The centerpieces were simple, but I would have it no other way. Centerpieces dont matter much next to memories built. Drinks were free-flowing even at dinner time.

The give-aways were given to the boys for a change. Cigars and a smoking section outside to match.

What followed was a night of singing and dancing! This is me with the happy stress-free bride.

Another Lovely Wedding... J + R

December 6, 2009
Ceremony: Mary the Queen
Reception: 1 Esplanade
Hightlight of the Wedding: Program, especially the games!

Another lovely wedding, this time Eyebrows was a major part of it. (Hmmm... Im noticing, most of the weddings we attend are Eyebrows' friends! he must be getting old. hahaha) Anyway, a long like high school friend and neighbor, Eyebrows walked down the aisle of Mary the Queen as a groomsman. He was given a pink slim tie by Francis Libiran and a carnation as his boutonniere.

I made it to the reception as 1 Esplanade for cocktails and dinner. The cocktail area was in a covered area outdoors. It was breezy and comfortable. They served finger foods and pink lemonade, which was a perfect match to their color theme. They had a photobooth as well, which was a big hit - as always.

The reception area was fully decorated, I'd say in "Pink Victorian Garden" theme. It was coherent and classy.

The centerpiences had 2 variaties, one was a floral ensemble in what looked like a dessert tower. The other was a floral teapot arrangement which the guests got to take home! Come to think of it, there were tons of take home stuff! Aside from the teapot, there was the wooden spoon giveaway, which I used to eat the cake giveaway that they also distributed.
The wedding proper was tons of fun! I hardly noticed myself eating away, I was just so entertained by the program! The groom and his dad gave a surprise song number which impressed everyone. They had 3 or 4 games, all with prices! And the audience was participative! It was all good fun! :) This makes me rethink -- should we have games in our wedding?

The night ended quite early, but everyone definitely had a great time :)
P.S. Wedding gown by Veluz

It's The Time for Weddings... K + K

November 21, 2009
Ceremony: Union Church Of Manila
Reception: Shangri-La Makati
Highlight of the Wedding: FOOD!!!

Since we hit November, the wedding invitations just keep coming! It's amazing how every wedding is different. I love how the couple's personality becomes so evident in their celebration.

The first wedding we were able to attend was of Eyebrow's old friend Kevin. It fell on the same weekend was my friend's wedding which much to my disappointment, we missed. I really wanted to be there, first to celebrate with them, second to celebrate with them in Shangri-La Mactan. I've come to love that place...

Anyway... the couple's wedding reception was held in Makati Shangri-La. It was was simple but elegant with probably the best wedding food I've ever had! They had a few songs by the band, a few speeches, a few AVPs with a tribute to both their parents - no games, no crazy surprises... just simple, classic, and timeless.

The food was the best, it just kept coming and coming till I couldnt have any more!

We started off with a sampler plate of foie gras, scallops, etc... That in itself was to die for! The foie gras was so good I could have eaten Eyebrows plate as well! haha!

The tomato soup was perfect. Then came the sea bass with mushroom risotto. Perfect! Perfect! Perfect! The fish was crusted with truffles and the risotto was clean and sweet. I loved it.
A sorbet to cleanse the palette, then the juicy tenderloin steak! Mine was cooked medium to medium-rare. Eyebrow's maybe medium-well. By this time I was ready to explode!

For dessert was a rich chocolate cake with a surprise ferrero in the middle. If it didnt look so inviting, I would have skipped it. No regrets though, it was well worth the calories!

The drinks were free flowing -- and not just any ordinary bottle. Blue Label baby.

The floral centerpieces were done in taste. Classic just like the wedding -- I loved the orchids.


The night was topped off by DJ Karl Ty. Good fun :)

The Beautiful Shangri-La Mactan

October 30 - November 2, 2009

A few blogs ago, I complained about the service of Shangri-La Mactan. I couldnt believe that such a beautiful place could have such horrible service... I never was the complaining type, but I loved the city and the venue so much that I pushed to make it work. I sent a polite but disappointed e-mail to their customer service and was greeted with a positive reply. We were endorsed to this lady and ever since then, our wedding journey has been smooth sailing!!! Coleen Rosario... for any Shangri-La Mactan events, I suggest contact her directly! She is quick to respond, easy to talk to and understanding of your limitations. An added plus: she has this warm and cheerful demeanor that makes working with her light and effective. I have put her contact details just in case. Coleen Rosario +63-917-576-2016 coleen.rosario@shangri-la.com

So anyway, Eyebrows and I visited Shangri-La Mactan a second time mainly to seal the deal with our venue. Eyebrows was still unsure of whether this was our place. I think it was because our first visit was not a very positive one... (Eyebrows is a very visual person. He's gotta see it as it is. If the place isnt presented well, then there's no way he can see its sparkle.) He wasnt 100% on the ballroom, since it was being renovated the last time we were there. He wanted a beach wedding, after all we were flying to a beach - it didnt make sense to get married in a ballroom. But it was too expensive... There were still so much hanging questions.

I on the other hand loved the venue the moment we stepped in. It was exactly what I was looking for - and indoor ceremony venue with an awesome view. A beach resort with a ballroom. A classy yet relaxing place to hang with our family and friends. Despite our initial bad experience with the service and presentation, I felt like this was our place. It's just that gut feeling a girl gets sometimes. But, I must admit, Im not one to simply decide on gut. I needed to be assured we would be taken care of (especially since neither of us was from Cebu) and that the ballroom would suit our style.

So ur second visit was mainly to see the ballroom, meet Coleen, and decide on whether this was our place.

With Coleen on our second visit to Shangri-La Mactan

When we got to the Shang, we were greeted by Coleen and her manager. They appologized for our previous experience, and we let it pass as no big deal. This time around, we were simply blown away. First, Coleen definitely knows her stuff. Our questions were answered precisely. She even showed us samples of wedding cakes and floral arrangements. Then she took us around to see the venues for a second time.

The landscape of Shangri-La was awesome. Despite the hot hot weather, we enjoyed the stroll around the beach.

Cowry Cove

The Cowry Cove where we can stay up at night partying by the beach!!!

One of the many pools at Shang. Relaxing, eh? :)

The beautiful beach! A place to hang with friends the day after!

The Ocean Pavilion was as beautiful as ever.... with a view of the blue ocean.

Eyebrows standing at the altar area... practicing! (yihee!)

Then, the newly renovated Mactan Ballroom.

Enjoying the ballroom

Wow. It was more beautiful than we imagined! The main ballroom looked new and elegant, but not stiff. The cocktail area was enclosed but had a ceiling-to-floor view of the garden. The chandeliers were huge and classy.

The entrance to the ballroom

On top of that, the place was prepared with sample chairs, table arrangements and linens (I didnt even expect that!) for us to choose from! AND... Coleen asked the kitchen to make us customized purple drinks for our cocktails for us to taste. Now thats service!

The "his" and "her" chairs

Our customized purple drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic?) I love it!!!

Options for linens, arrangements, napkins.... Eyebrows likes the frog fold. Go figure. LOL!

So all in all, we are contented with Shangri-La Mactan. All thats left is to finalize the costs and sign the contract!!!! HERE WE GO! :)

Cebu 2nd Visit (Venue and Suppliers)

October 30 - November 2, 2009

It was a long Philippine weekend so we decided to schedule our second Cebu visit. It was just perfect. We're loving this place more and more! It's becoming such a memorable city for Eyebrows and I, every visit we make is a joyous one. I know it, this is our place.

Since every visit is also a costly one, I tried to maximize our time and get our schedule organized beforehand. Here was our schedule:


MAIN PURPOSE (of this visit):
1. Finalize on the venue, or at least be able to decide if we're 100% on Shang or not.
2. Meet with wedding planners and hopefully decide on one.
3. Get a feel of our options for other suppliers (ex: make-up, flowers, lodging, music, transportation)

THINGS WE ACCOMPLISHED (during this visit):*I'll talk a little more about this on a separate blog*
1. Saw the newly renovated Shangrila ballroom and loved it!!! We're deciding on the Shang.
2. Found an awesome travel agent who seems easy to work with.
3. Found a wedding planner we believe we can trust.
4. Got really good feedback on our prospective hair/makeup and flower suppliers.
5. Got additional options for cheaper lodging
6. Got leads for transportation suppliers
7. Got leads for music suppliers

NEXT THINGS TO DO (within the rest of 2008):1. Finalize requirements from the Shangrila and sign the contract.
2. Finalize requirements from the Wedding Planner and sign the contract.
2. Finalize requirements from the Photographer and sign the contract.
3. Finalize requirements from the Videographer and sign the contract.
4. Coordinate with the Florist on the concept and cost, schedule a meeting for 2009 to view a sample.
7. Coordinate with the Travel Agent on additional options for Lodging and Transportation
5. Look for Music suppliers (Jazz, DJ, etc)
6. Complete Will you be my... and begin on the other DIY stuff
7. Other low priority stuff: Wedding gown, Hair/Makeup, Guest List, Entourage, Invitations,

Im so proud of us, cuz not only were we able to accomplish the 3 purposes of the visit, we were also able to enjoy Cebu!!!!

Cheers to beating the Manila storm, really yummy reasonably-priced food, never repeating a restaurant (yet), chillin at Tinder Box (if only there was one in Manila), partying at Vudu with non-stop drinks, top knotch DJs (woot! woot!), free food and drinks at the Marriott, sightseeing historic spots, shopping at Cebu's Divisoria, meeting my cutest inaanak, and still finding time to talk and relax... CEBU ROCKS! :)

Cebu Ocular - Hilton and Plantation Bay

HILTON and PLANTATION BAY
Maybe for a vacation... Not our weddingAugust 8, 2009

We checked out a few other venues for a Mactan wedding, the Hilton and Plantation Bay. The Hilton had a pretty garden and beach front that makes for a great beach party. Its got a Plan B (the ballroom), which looks a bit old and run down. Plus the whole building looks like a pink flamingo!!! No thanks...

Hilton: The beach and garden front

Hilton: The ballroom, I guess circles are said to be lucky? LOL

Hilton: Reception Area. Maybe if my theme was pink?

Plantation Bay is -- well, cool!! Gives you this feeling of being in a surreal environment. Eyebrows loves it, I think it plays with his graphic novel imagination. We'd go back for a trippy trip, but not for an elegant wedding.

Plantation Bay: Sample outdoor wedding ceremony

Plantation Bay: Sample outdoor wedding reception

Plantation Bay: The plan B, but a little too small for 300 guests, dont you think?